Gemotions

The morning had started poorly. Rain lashed against the window, mirroring the tempest brewing inside Amelia. She'd stubbed her toe on the bedpost, burned the toast, and now, this. A text notification pinged: "Party cancelled. Something urgent came up. So sorry!" Amelia felt a tightening in her chest, a pressure that squeezed the air from her lungs. She crumpled the notification into a ball, shoving it into her pocket, and slammed the door as she left the apartment.

The coffee shop was a disaster. The barista, barely out of her teens, had the audacity to call her "sweetie." Amelia had to bite back a scathing retort. She practically growled at the request to add an extra shot of espresso to her already bitter brew. She felt a burning need for something to be in the right order.

Outside, the city seemed to mock her. The yellow cabs zipped past, splashing water, the cheerful chatter of passersby grating on her nerves. She quickened her pace, head down, determined to reach her destination - and to get there before any more affronts to her mood materialized.